At the top of the Allées des Demoiselles, in Toulouse, the world of bargemen and small shipyards opened its doors for the 350th anniversary of the Canal du Midi
These four dry docks (for repairing boats), spread around the large central basin, were built between 1834 and 1839 to clear the port of the Embouchure.
In the middle of the 19th century, the port of Toulouse was overflowing with shipyards and barges that transported the cereals bought and sold at the nearby Halle aux Grains.
To give it some air, the engineer of the Ponts et Chaussée, Urban Maguès, decided to separate the two activities. He created four new slipways and workshops where craftsmen transferred their careening, maintenance and construction activities and dedicated the Embouchure to commerce.
The covered shed of 1843, the covered station of 1855 and the basin are registered as Historic Monuments. Today, the docks are used for maintenance and upkeep of the waterways and for barge maintenance. The four existing buildings house some housing, offices, workshops and storage spaces.
Each year, between 15 and 20 units use these historic docks.
Voies Navigables de France (VNF) is responsible for the operation of this historic monument, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
At the beginning of 2022, the Bátar company invested the premises to create the fastest drakkar of the world and thus to join New-York of Toulouse.
To reserve a hold or to visit :
South-West Territorial Direction of Voies Navigables de France,
65, allées des Demoiselles,
31400 Toulouse
Tel: 05 34 31 10 90
https://www.vnf.fr/vnf/points-d-interetss/les-cales-de-radoub-a-toulouse/
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